On Establishment, Decline And Disillusionment Of Karan Bliex’ Imperialist Ideal

Film, as one of the representatives of audio and video culture, has penetratedalmost every aspect of people’s life, influencing their life style, language andideology. It is not exaggerating to say, in today’s world, film has already becomeone of the domination forces to present culture in modern society.The epic Hollywood film Out of Africa, which won eight Oscar Rewards, isrecomposed by Isak Dinesen’s autobiography novel Out of Africa. This thesisanalyses the film Out of Africa from the perspective of post-colonialism. KarenBliex enters Africa as an aristocratic colonialist, what she did and said in Africareveal that she is an imperialist. Based on Edward Said’s post-colonialism theoryorientalism and culture imperialism, this thesis analyses the film Out of Africa fromthe perspective of post-colonialism and explores how Karen Bliex’ imperialist idealin the film goes from establishment, decline to disillusionment.Structurally the thesis consists of three parts. The introduction part gives abrief review of the film and the studies on it home and abroad. The theoreticalfoundation, Edward Said’s orientalism and culture and imperialism, and the layoutof this thesis are also introduced in this part.The second part is the body of the thesis. Chapter One focuses on how KarenBliex’ imperialist ideal is established through becoming the owner of the Africanland and resources, becoming the savior of the Africans and becoming the master tocivilize the Africans. Chapter Two analyses how the imperialist ideal goes todecline due to her unsuccessful marriage the resistance of the Africa which includesthe troubles of coffee plantation the disobedience of the African servants and theresistance of English education. Chapter Three explores how Karen’s imperialistideal goes to disillusionment. A big fire burns out all the harvest and plant. Herbankruptcy makes her reach the disillusionment of African belongs to thecolonizers and no one should make any changes on it. The death of Denys derives her last hope to go on living in Africa. She should be out of Africa and herimperialist ideal is over. The last part reaches the conclusion. Karen’s passage toAfrica is the process of her imperialist ideal goes from establishment, decline todisillusionment. The Africans are the real owner of Africa and they live herefor tens of thousands of years. Africa has its own history, tradition anddynamics. The tragedy of the westerners in the film alarms the collapse ofcolonization.